1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hose washing machines of the type for use in washing fire hoses and more particularly to hose washing machines which have power driven brushes for scrubbing hoses and means for applying cleaning fluid to the hoses as they are engaged by the power driven brushes. During the use of fire hoses, they are frequently dragged over the ground and are permitted to lie in dirty water or in muddy areas. Accordingly, it is necessary to clean the hoses before they can be rolled up for storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A hose washer for use in washing fire hose is illustrated in the McGraw et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,794 issued Oct. 27, 1959, and includes means for automatically feeding a length of fire hose between a plurality of rotating cylindrical brushes. The brushes shown in that patent rotate about longitudinal axes which are parallel and which are spaced apart on opposite sides of the path of travel of the hose as the hose travels through the hose washing machine. Those brushes are also supported such that the bristles of the brushes move in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the hose. One of the disadvantages of the McGraw et al hose washing machine is that fire hose of the type which is cleaned by that machine commonly includes closely-spaced ribs on its external surface and surrounding the hose in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the brush bristles when the hose is being cleaned, and the brushes of the McGraw apparatus fail to effectively clean the grooves formed between the ribs of the hose. Furthermore, the brushes of the McGraw apparatus engage only the upper and lower surfaces of the flattened hose and fail to adequately clean the opposite edges of the hose. Another disadvantage of the McGraw et al structure lies in its complexity and in the resulting relatively high cost of manufacture. Due to the expense of such hose washing machines, they are impractical for small municipalities or volunteer fire departments.
Attention is also directed to the hose washing machine illustrated in the Whaley U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,432, issued Mar. 12, 1957. The structure shown in that patent has disadvantages similar to those of the structure of the McGraw et al patent in that the Whaley patent shows brushes which rotate such that the bristles move in the direction of the axis of the hose. Accordingly, the brushes will not effectively clean the grooves between the transverse ribs of the hose.
Attention is further directed to the Cotton U.S. Pat. No. 2,320,173, issued May 25, 1943 and the Sedgew U.S. Pat. No. 2,179,831, issued Nov. 14, 1939 and each showing a hose washing apparatus for use in washing fire hoses and the like and having a plurality of linearly reciprocating brushes.
Attention is also directed to the McLaughlin U.S. et al Pat. No. 3,471,885, issued Oct. 14, 1969; the Hamann U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,097, issued Aug. 6, 1974; and the Illing U.S. Pat. No. 1,166,163 issued Nov. 16, 1915.